Positive and lock lateral shoe stretching mechanism



F. DE CURTIS POSITIVE AND LOCK LATERAL SHOE STRETCHING MECHANISM Filed July 15, 1947 Patented Oct. 26, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POSITIVE AND LOC'K LATERAL SHOE STRETCHING MECHANISM Frank De Curtis, Queens Village, N. Y.

Application July 15, 1947, Serial No. 761,109

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a mechanism for stretching the vamps of shoes which fit too tightly on the ball or forward portion of the foot. Shoe stretching devices of the same general character, consisting of a form split into two parts on a vertical longitudinal plane with means for forcing the parts away from each other, have long been in use, but such devices tend to stretch the portion of the vamp adjacent to the welt rather than the top portion. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved stretcher which stretches the top of the vamp and shapes the vamp in a desirable manner. According to the invention, this is done by supporting over the separable parts a third member arranged to effect a greater degree of stretch of the vamp at the ball of the foot, and to be replaceable by other members of different sizes for stretching shoes of different sizes.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description thereof, and to the drawing, of which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a stretching mechanism embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a, section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a section similar to Figure 5 but showing the shoe form in an expanded position.

The invention may be embodied in a shoe form which is supported in a convenient position for use. Such forms are preferably provided in lefts and rights so that each installation should have one or more pairs of such forms. The following description is of one unit, it being understood that additional units may and preferably should be employed in any given installation. A wall or standard It) supports a pair of bracket arms l2 and I4 which are connected by a cross head [6. A longitudinally split shoe form consisting of two parts 20 and 22 which are hinged as at 24 at their heel end is supported by the bracket, the parts 20 and 22 being provided with ears 26 and 28 which engage in horizontal grooves in the bracket arms. A shaft 30 projects down through the cross head l6. 0n the upper end of this shaft is a knob or hand wheel 32, the lower portion of the shaft is screw threaded as at 34 for threaded engagement with wedging elements 36 and 38. As indicated in Figure 4, these wedging elements 2 may be arranged to move toward each other when the shaft 30 is rotated in one direction and to move away from each other when the shaft is rotated in the other direction. For this purpose the threaded portion 3.4 is made with right and left hand threads. The wedging elements 36 and 3B bear against inclined cam surfaces within the form parts 20 and 22 so that when the hand wheel 32 is rotated in the proper direction the wedging action of the wedges 36 and 38 forces the form parts to swing apart about their hinge axis 24. When the hand wheel is rotated in the opposite direction, a pair of springs 40 and 42 cause the form parts to swing toward each other. The form parts 20 and 22 are preferably of metal so as to be heat-conducting and are supplied with electric heating elements 44.

Split shoe forms have long been used for stretching the Vamps of shoes but are open to the objection that the stretching usually takes place in the lower portions of the vamp, that is, the portions adjacent to the welt. Hence the top of the vamp is not satisfactorily stretched. According to the present invention, this objection is overcome by the use of an auxiliary form 50 which is stationary and is attached preferably to the cross head I6. As indicated in Figures 1 and 2, the auxiliary member 50 is preferably in the form of a tongue which extends down and then curves forward to overlie the forward portions of the form parts 20 and 22. The upper surface of the member 50 is smoothly convex so as to provide a smooth curved surface on which the top of the vamp engages when the shoe is being stretched as shown in Figure 6. The auxiliary member 50 enters the shoe with the form parts 20 and 22 to stretch and shape the top of the vamp. A series of auxiliary members 50 of different sizes is preferably supplied for alternative use in shoes of diiferent size. For this purpose, the member '50 is attached to the cross head IS in such a way as to be easily detached and replaced. A single screw is indicated on the drawing by way of example.

In stretching shoes, it is often desirable to smooth some wrinkled areas which are not in position to be stretched by the form. For this purpose, it is convenient to have at hand a smoothing tool which is preferably of metal and is heated so as to iron out wrinkles and rough places on the shoe upper. In order to keep the tool 60 properly heated, one of the form parts 22 is made with an upstanding projection 62 which has an aperture 64 adapted to receive the tool. A leaf spring 66 is mounted in the aperture to hold the tool therein and to press it against a surface of the form part 22 so that it will receive heat therefrom.

Various other advantages features of the invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art. The foregoing description is by way of illustration 'and not limitation. Y

I claim:

1 A device for stretching the Vamps of shoes, comprising a support, a longitudinally split shoe form having two parts hinged together at the heel end and supported by said support, a fixed auxiliary member mounted on said support and projecting forward over the forward part of said form to enter a shoe therewith, and means for forcing said parts to swing away from each other about their hinge axis.

2. A device for stretching the Vamps of shoes, comprising a fixed support bracket, a longitudinally split shoe form having two metal parts hinged together at the heel end and supported by said bracket, Wedging means carried by said bracket for forcing said parts to swing apart, and an auxiliary metal member secured at its upper end to said bracket, said auxiliary member extending downward and curving forward to overhe the forward portion of the shoe form and to be inserted into a shoe therewith.

3. A device for stretching the Vamps of shoes, comprising a bracket, a longitudinally split metal shoe form supported by said bracket, said form having two parts hinged together at the heel end, a heating element in each said part, means for forcing said parts to swing apart, and an auxiliary member detachably secured to said bracket, said member consisting of a metal tongue extending downward and forward over the forward portions of said parts to enter a shoe therewith.

FRANK DE CURTIS. No references cited. 

